So, working on the valve cover in my shop, It keeps leaking, and from a closer inspection, I am thinking it is from the bolts. The valve cover has been taken off once already because it leaked the first time. Now, on re-installing it, made sure the VC was straight and free of old silicon/gasket crap, as well as the engine side, put between 1/3 to 1/2 inch of silicon on it, and installed it on the engine and used proper torque on the VC bolts. Let it sit for 2 days, just ran it yesterday, and it is leaking again. Nevermind the fact it is 3rd Echelon maintenance, I don't think it has anything to do with the valve cover itself, as it has been properly put on TWICE, and the bolts are torqued properly, and the holes themselves fit the bolts. So, does anybody have any ideas what may be wrong or creative solutions? I am on I&I so Evac to 3rd is AN option, but I would rather try to solve it here, as everything else is good, jsut that leak and I can close it. Thanks for any help or advice you guys can offer.

I’m going on a whim and going to say your valve cover is warped. Secondly nowhere in the TM does it say to use silicone on a valve cover. And lastly a valve cover isn’t third brother if you have questions on what third or second look up the SMR code.

Well I looked up the SMR code and it has an F on the third position, and I know O is second, and the valve cover itself is not what I mind messing with, it's simple enough, but rather if the edges of the engine that meet with the VC themselves are messed up in anyway. As for the VC, when I took it off the second time, it wasn't straight, it's definitely bent, however, being in an I&I station with our highest priority being 07, we don't get our parts expedited you know? So, I am trying to straighten it out as much as possible, going to get some cleaning solvent from Autozone to remove any and all crap down to the metal on that edge, cleaning the engine side as well, with the bolt holes included, and the bolts also, and hoping it works. As for the silicone, we dont have any gaskets left. I took the truck over from another mechanic, and when I took it off the first time, the gasket was messed up, and we don't have any more. I can also tell they weren't torquing them all down evenly. Pretty much, this truck has to get out and we are limited on resources, so I jsut have to make it happen somehow haha. And well, thanks for the response, hope you are having a good one, starting a 96 this weekend, rah!

When you first initially install the valve cover w/ new fresh silicon, don't torque to spec. Just snug it so that the silicon conforms to the surface of the head. Go back the next day and THEN torque to spec. Your initial torquing could be squishing out all the silicon, thus not having a seal at all. Ran into this problem replacing humv transmissions at the sandwhich plate.

Thank you for the response! I'm definitely going to try that. I also noticed that trying to put the valve cover in through the enginece access inside the cab isn't working too well, so going to remove some stuff on the hood side as to have more space to work with, like two radiator lines and some other lines, but I agree, it probably is that because we are using enough silicone but I do torque them right after. Thanks for the suggestion.

For whatever reason they stopped making the cork gaskets available through supply. However I was having a similar situation in my shop and we actually went and bought some from an auto parts store outside of Lejeune. They are only about $10 at most so I guess it depends how badly you want that truck to close...

Well, I appreciate the response. I managed to get it fixed, only to find another problem, but eventually, our T/E changed so it is getting WIR hahaha, thanks for the reply though, I will definitely keep it mind for the next one, because there is always another one.

For everyone's knowledge, the cork gaskets degrade quickly and are being replaced with the rubber ones. Below are a few tricks I've picked up to ensure your valve cover isn't warped that you can try if you have the bench space. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

1) ensuring you have a straight edge make sure the bolt holes aren't bent inward/outward (was over-torqued previously). Hammer those flat.2) with a large enough surface and a sheet of 800 grit sand paper secured to it, run the gasket mating surface over it. Look to see if there are any areas that the sand paper didn't get and flattend those areas out.3) knowing you have a flush surace, hope the head doesn't have the same problem.4)completely clean the oil off of both mating surfaces with a solvent. Use gasket tack to hold the gasket in place (not silicone). Gasket tack seals minor imperfections and does not harden so it moves as the gasket swells and shrinks from heat.5)hand tighten the bolts in the proper pattern that the TM says. The bolts are torqued in **inch pounds** not ft-lbs. Over torqueing will cause damage and premature leaking.

I have had this problem before I replaced the valve cover with new gasket never leaked again, make sure you torque it down to the proper torque specs that are given in the manual and it should be good. Check the bolt to make sure they are in good order, and replace if needed. problem should be fixed.